Apparatus for removing snow and the like



July 5, 1949. E. R. GRIEER 4 2,474,840

APPA'RATUS FOR REMOVING SNOW AND THE LIKE Filed July 20, 1945 5Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 50 WA RD R. GREER BY 0-M y 5, 1949. E. R. GREER2,474,840

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SNOW AND THE LIKE Filed July 20, 1945 3Sheets-Sheet 2 [Vt EN 7-0/2 52) WARD E. GREEE QM @OAJL y 5, 1949. E. R.GREr= R 2,474 40 APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SNOW AND THE LIKE Filed Jul 20,1945 s'snee'ts-sheet s IN VEN TOR. f0 WARD R. GREER F76. 6 BY Q MWPatented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR REMOVINGSNOW AND THE LIKE This invention relates to new and useful improvementsin apparatus for removing snow and other materials from roadways andother areas and involves the use of hot combustion gases under pressureto facilitate lateral or vertical movement and disposal of the materialbeing handled. This apparatus is of the general type disclosed in thisapplicants United States Letters Patent No. 2,404,287.

Among the new features are the provision of a self-contained jet unitadapted for attachment to a moldboard or to a rotary snow plow, and theprovision for use of part or all of the jet blast to actuate a turbinemotor which may be employed to drive a snow plow rotor.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus having incombination a moldboard or guided passage and a hot combustion gaseouspressure means for transferring or assisting in the transfer or disposalof the material.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus incorporatingone or more of the above recited features and these and other objectswill be more apparent from the specification, drawings and claims. Thespecific embodiments hereinafter described and shown are merelyillustrative of the invention involved and may be widely varied to meetsatisfactory and specific design requirements.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in theannexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structuredesigned to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is tobe understood that the invention is not confined to the exact featuresshown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rotary snow plow with the hotcombustion pressure gas device applied thereto, said device beingindicated in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a detailed sectional view of the combustion device showingits association with the vertical chute and with the blades of the snowplow rotor;

Figure 3 is a View showing the outlet of the combustion gas deviceimpinging upon the turborotor vanes and diagrammatically indicating indotted lines the reduction gears associated with the turbo-rotor todrive the shaft of the rotor blades;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3 andshowing the gear relationship;

Figure 5 is a modification of the driving mechanism shown in Figure 3,but using epicyclic or planetary gear train to drive the rotor blades;and

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the lines 66 of Figure 5.

This invention is more particularly directed to the employment of a jetof hot combustion gases discharged under pressure adjacent the moldboardor guide means of a snow plow. There are several common types of snowguides, one is the V-type which is placed at the apex at the front of arailway engine, or a highway truck, or tractor. Another is the laterallypositioned single moldboard usually borne by a highway truck or tractor.Another form is a chute placed above a snow-receiving opening in whichis mounted a bladed rotor to receive the snow and upwardly project itthrough a stack which discharges the snow at one side.

In Figures 1 and 2 there is disclosed a form of device for handling snowor other material. Therein is shown a sidewalk rotary snow plow Which isnow in use and forms no part of this invention save that the novelcombustion chamber and jet are applied thereto.

This old form of sidewalk rotary snow plow briefly consists of atwo-wheel structure with an internal combustion engine mounted thereon.The engine is adapted to drive the two-wheels through a clutch mechanismand also drives the blades I20 which are centrally disposed within ahousing I2! with funnel shaped sides substantially surrounding it andwhich are adapted to direct the snow to the rotor blades as the plow ismanually guided into the snow by an operator walking behind the handlebars I22. The snow is forcibly moved by the engine-driven blades I20upwardly through a chute 23 and is provided with a hood I24 having anopen side and top and which is rotatable upon the chute I23 so that thesnow can be directed to one side or the other of the sidewalk snow plow.This old form of sidewalk snow plow employs an air compressor to delivercooling air to the single cylinder air-cooled engine and also has amagneto delivering electricity to the spark plug of the engine. Thus,this old form of sidewalk snow plow not only provides a supply of airunder pressure but also supplies electrical energy whereby there is asource of each for use with the novel combustion chamber which has beenadapted thereto.

The novel combustion unit is borne by a base plate I25 fixed to thesupporting plate I26 of outer housing I29 at its lower end has a flangedportion I3I] which is fixed to the base plate I25 and the housing I29upwardlyextendsaud en- At the upper ends of the housing I29andcombustiom closes the combustion chamber wall I28.

chamber wall I28 there is provided an expansion joint.

the connection between .this nozzle I3] and combustion chamber wallispreferably one that permits ready removal and replacementof the noz-Zlet The upper open end of the nozzle I3I is adapted to discharge hotgases in the-path of theshort blades I2IJ of the snow plow rotor, thusconverting the rotor-bladesinto a semblance of an. impact type ofturbo-rotor. The combustion gas-es impacted from the combustion chamberthus in part engage thebla'desI'ZIIa-and in part directly pass upwardlyinto the chute I2 I; to provide a .blast to accelerate snow removal.

A-mixtureof atomized fuel and air under pressure ,2 is received withinthe-combustion chamber through aligned: apertures in the chamber-wallI23 and-the. housing 129: The atomizer I32 is mounted upon the inner endof a fuel pipe I34. Thesupply of airunder pressure is delivered bytheyairpipe I33 to'the spaee'around the-spray nozzle andzenters thecombustion chamber with the atomized fueLLand-the air under pressurethus also enters the space between the chamber wall' I28 and the housingI29: 'I'heliquid fuel is supplied. to theatomizer by the; pipe I 34from: the same fuel tank on the sidewalk snow. plow while air underpressure is supplied tothe'pipe I33|by the usual aircompressorzcarriedby the sidewalk snowplow. The ignition of theatomizedzfuel is effected by the sparkplug I35 mounted-fimthe" baseplate I25 and projecting within the combustion chamber. The source ofthe electrical energy; for the spark plug is the electric system ofthesidewalk snow. plow.- As abovedescribed, the 3 combustion gases upwardlypass through the Venturi tube or-nozzle I35 and not only-forcibly.assist in-the rotation of the vanes I 29 but also blow. Theforce' ofthe: combustion gases may tendto rotate the vanes-- faster than. thenormal Rt P. M.ofthe rotor but that is ,merely analogous. .to. an.automobile de scendinga hill with the gears in meshand'withthe snowthroughv the chute.

out declutching.

In Figures 3 and 4 there is disclosed a modificae tion of a drivingmeans for theblades I ofthe sidewalk snow plow. Broadly considered itcon- IZothrough reduction gearing. The shaft I35 I38 having peripheralblades I39 is' idly borne by the shaft'ISG. The hub MI] of theturbowheel is provided-with peripheralgear teeth I4I which mesh with theteethof -a larger gear I42 pinned to a stub'shaft I43 mountedin'abearing The jet nozzle I3I is received'lwith-in theupper open end of thecombustion chamber and.

4 I46 having its hub pinned to the main shaft [3-6. These stub shaftsand associated pinions are duplicated upon each side of the main shaftI36. The Venturi nozzle I3I shown on the left in Figure 3 upwardlydischarges the combustion gases which impact the vanes I39 of theturbo-wheel I33, thus forcibly rotating it in a clockwise direction asshown in Figure3. This moment of rotation is imparted to the reductiongearing consisting of the pinion I4I, duplicate gears I42 and stubshafts I43 and their pinions I45 and finally to the main gear I 46pinned to the shaft I36 which drives "the rotary snow blades I20. Thisreduction gearing imparts considerable power to the blades I20:

Another modification of drive of the rotary snow plow blades I20 isshown in Figures 5 and 6 wherein there is disclosed a planetary form ofreduction gearing.

The planetary gearing includes .a-vaned turborotor I 50" whose curvedvanes .I 5| are in the-path of the combustion jet from the Venturi tubeI521 Thehub I53 of theturb'o-rotor is borne by bearings 15% mounted uponthe hub I55 of a rotatable spider I56 which carries three stub shaftsI51 upon each of which is rotatably. mounted a similar gear I558. Theperipheral teeth of each gear I 58 mesh both with" :a pinion I59and withthe internal teeth I60 of the outer fixed gear. This outergear is shown.as bolted to the frame members Isl of the sidewalk" plow while the innerpinion I5 is fixed to the hub I53'of the turbo-rotor I 50.

This gearing of the epicyclic type gives powerpulse type the jet gasesexhausting from the in a.housi ng. H541. Likewise, pinned-'tothestubshaft- :1 ltiisv pinion: I 45": meshing with a i gear turbo-rotor bladeare still traveling in the direction of snow discharge at a much. highervelocity.

than the snow leaving the rotary plow blades.

The energy inthis exhaust then materially assists in accelerating anddissipating the snow.

Theimpulse type of turbines shown apply heatto-the'turbine vanes foronly" a small fraction of each rotation period giving plenty of time forthe blades to cool, as well as effecting a turbine exhaust containinguseful energy available for use in assisting snow'discharge.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art' that I haveaccomplished'at'least the principal objects ofmy invention, andit willalso be ap.-- parenttothose skilled in the art that the em-' bodimentsherein described may be variously changed'an'd modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention; and that theinvention iscapable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described;hence it-will be appreciated'that the herein disclosed-embodimentsareillustrative only, and that my invention is notlimited thereto.

I claim as myinvention:

l. The combination with a snow plow havinga bladed rotor toengageandforcibly=remove snow or other material, of a jet burner mounted.adjacent. therotoraand having its jet' exhaust positioned to impactthe bladesof the rotor and" to assist in forcible discharge of thematerial.

2. The combination with a snow plow having.

a bladed :rotonto engage and forcibly remove snow OI' TOthGI' materialhaving a guided-passageway for the material-received from the rotor; ofa jet" burner mounted adjacent the rotor andhavingij its jet exhaustpositioned to assist in forcible dis;

charge of the material, and the jet exhaust being positioned fordischarge through said passageway to accelerate material-discharge.

3. The combination of a rotary snow plow having an engine to drive theplow and its bladed snow-engaging rotor, with a jet burner having anexhaust port positioned to impact the rotor blades and thereby to assistin the operation of the rotary snow plow.

4. The combination of a rotary snow plow having a bladed snow-engagingrotor adapted upon actuation to engage and forcibly remove snow with ajet burner mounted upon the snow plow, a vaned turbine mounted on thesnow plow with its vanes in the path of said jet and adapted to beactuated thereby, and speed-reduction gearing connected to said turbineand to said bladed rotor thereby to drive the rotor and forcibly ejectthe snow.

5. The combination of a rotary snow plow having an engine to drive theplow and its bladed snow-engaging r0tor-shaft, with a vaned turbineborne by said shaft, speed-reduction gearing connecting the turbine tosaid shaft to drive it and a jet burner having an exhaust portpositioned to impact the vanes of the turbine thereby to actuate theturbine.

6. The combination of a rotary snow plow having a bladed snow-engagingrotor adapted upon actuation to engage and forcibly remove snow, with ajet burner mounted upon the snow plow, a vaned turbine mounted on thesnow plow with its vanes in the path of said jet and actuated thereby,speed-reduction gearing connected to the turbine and to the rotorthereby to drive the rotor, and a chute to direct the jet-exhaust tofacilitate snow removal.

7. The combination with a snow plow having a bladed rotor to engage andforcibly remove snow or other material, of a jet burner mounted adjacentthe rotor and having its jet exhaust adapted to effect rotation of saidrotor and to assist in forcible discharge of the material,

EDWARD R. GREER.

No references cited.

